The following material is an original work based off of designs from MACROSS 7, a sequel to the original Japanese MACROSS TV series (which became Robotech here in the U.S.). Please feel free to use, copy, and distribute it as you see fit. All I ask is that you give proper credit to the author and do not claim that it is your own work. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

PROGRESS-CLASS HEAVY CRUISER

RPG Stats by KAMIKAZI ([email protected])
Background info by SHADE ETERNAL ([email protected])
 

BACKGROUND

In the aftermath of Space War 1, the UN Spacy was faced with the task of rebuilding it's shattered fleet. The acquisition of the Zentraedi factory satellite would ease that process considerably, but the Spacy need to decide the type of fleet it would build. A Zentreadi style fleet of large ships would be able to fight any rogue ship head to head, but would consume large amounts of resources and crew. A smaller style, more suited to human crew, would be more maneuverable, and could potentially take less damage. 

Ultimately, the argument was settled over the resource cost. It was felt that with humanity's limited resources, a large number of smaller ships would be versatile than a small number of large ships. In the future, once humanity had expanded, perhaps the issue would be looked at again. 

The Progress class cruiser, launched in 2015, was one of the first results of the new doctrine. Smaller and more nimble than most Zentreadi warships, it was a mix of Zentreadi weapons, human technology, and the Pinpoint Barrier system developed on the Macross itself. It's mission objective was to act as an escort for the Megaroad colony vessels and to battle other warships. However, there were some flaws in this design. 

The Progress's reactor system was problematic, the output often dropping during mock engagements with other ships, and with the PPB system having a higher priority, the beam weapon were left without power on several occasions. As a stopgap fix, several beam cannons were removed, and replaced with less power intensive, multipurpose autocannons, useable against ships and fighters alike. In early 2023, the problem was finally solved, and the Improved Progress class was introduced, with a revised weapon loadout and improved sensors. 

Though not designed as a carrier, the Progress class was equipped with a pair of external hangers, one one each side of the ship, which carried 48 Variable Fighters. These were used primarily for the Progress' CAP. 

In 2025, the I-Progress class was redesignated as light cruisers, in anticipation of the Spacy Modernization program, which promised a Heavy Cruiser design for the fleet. All I-Progress designations were changed from CG to LCG as a result. In 2031, the Improved Progress-class ceased production, replaced by the Normandy-class Heavy Cruiser, one of the results of the Spacy's Modernization Program, and was completely replaced in active Fleets by 2042. Progress-class and the Improved Progress-class can still be found throughout human space, as part of colony fleets, and older Megaroad fleets still searching for planets.

RPG STATS

Government: New Unity Government (Earth)
Ship Type: Light Cruiser
Class: Progress (CG) 
           Improved Progress (LCG)
Manufacturer: ORTEC Company/UN Spacy
Crew: 1200 total

Notable Ships of Class:

Naming: The original Progress was named for the progress the UN Spacy had with Overtechnology since the end of the war. However, they quickly ran out of names that had anything to do with progress, and switched over to animal names as a result. The I-Progress class is sometimes called the "Lion" class after the first of the Improved type, by people who noted that all of the Improved Progresses had animal names.

MDC BY LOCATION: 

(1) Main Body                                  37,000
(2) Command Tower                               6,500
(2) Sensor Array (on top of Command Tower)       1250
(3) Main Engines/Power Plants (2)               7,000 each
(3) Secondary Engines (4)                       2,500 each
(3) Small Guidance thrusters (40)                 400 each

    Main Cannons (4 or 6)                        1000 each
    Heavy Missile Launchers (2)                   400 each
    Anti-Warship Cannons (6 or 10)                300 each
    Heavy Auto-Cannons (4 or 10)                  300 each
    Anti-Aircraft Missile Launchers (18)          250 each
    Anti-Aircraft Laser Cannons (20)              300 each

    Small Airlocks/Access Hatches (25)            250 each
    Flight Deck Airlock (2)                       500
    Outer Hull (per 40ft area)                    120
    Interior walls (per 20ft)                      20

(4) Pin Point Barriers (3)                      2,500 each

NOTES:

     
  1. Depleting the MDC of the main body will put the cruiser out of commission. All internal systems will shut down, including life support and internal gravity. The ship itself will be an unsalvageable floating wreck.
  2. Destroying the command tower will instantly kill the command staff and deprive the ship of all forms of long range communications, radar and targeting. The range and targeting capabilities of the secondary systems are equal to that of a VF-4 Lightning. The ship can still operate, but is at -3 on initiative, -3 to strike, and number of attacks per melee of the weapon systems are reduced by half. Destroying the main sensory array atop the command tower will have the same effect, but the command staff will not be killed instantly.
  3. Depleting the MDC of the main engines will force the ship to rely on its secondary engines. Depleting the MDC of the main engines AND secondary engines will leave the ship adrift in space. If in an atmosphere, the ship will crash (destruction of the main engines will render the antigravity system useless due to loss of power).
  4. The Pinpoint Barriers regenerate at a rate of 1,250 MD per second (2,500 MD per melee round). If destroyed, a barrier will completely regenerate within 2 seconds (1 melee rounds). See the Pinpoint Barrier System entry for details.

SPEEDS:

Speed (sublight): 0.20 speed of light (32,000 miles per second)
Speed (Auxiliary Drives): Mach 3
Space Fold: Range Unlimited (1 light year every 6 minutes)
Planet bound:
Can land if necessary but not designed to maneuver in an atmosphere. Can only land in a body of water (does not have landing gear).
Maximum Range: Unlimited (estimated 20 year life span, which can be extended with regular maintenance and overhauls)

STATISTICAL DATA:

Length: 2079.52 feet (634 meters)
Weight: 320,000 tons (empty), 350,000 tons (Standard)
Power System:
ORTEC/General Galaxy Main reactor
Fold System:
ORTEC/Shinnakasu/General Galaxy Advanced Fold Cluster
Sublight Drive:
ORTEC/Centinel Impulse Drive Cluster
Gravity Control System: Internal
Auxiliary Engine:
Shinnakasu/Shinsei Industries/Agar Nuclear Pulse Rocket Motor Cluster
Sensor System: Standard & Subspace Mass Detector

WEAPON SYSTEMS:

  1. MAIN LASER CANNONS (4) (6 in Improved Progress): The main weapon systems of the Progress cruisers are four heavy laser cannons, mounted on either side of the ship near the command tower facing forward. These cannons pack a punch equal to those used by larger UN Spacy and Zentraedi vessels and make the Progress a foe to be reckoned with. Each laser can fire separately or together, but can only fire at targets that are almost directly in front of the cruiser (lasers can aim 10 degrees off the ship's centerline).

  2. HEAVY MISSILE LAUNCHERS (2): To back up the heavy lasers the Progress cruisers are also armed with two heavy missile launcher tubes that launch ICBM-like missiles at enemy ships. The missile tubes resemble torpedo launchers and are mounted alongside the main laser cannons on each side of the ship. The launchers contain long-range nuclear or reflex missiles and are usually used only during assaults and heavy combat.

    The torpedo tubes are also linked via an elaborate loading system to the main mecha bay of the warship. This allows the Progress cruisers to use VF Rocket Sleds which allow fighters to rapidly enter a planetary atmosphere without wasting fuel. Details on these rockets can be found on the UN Spacy Optional VF Systems page.

  3. ANTI-WARSHIP CANNONS (6) (10 in Improved Progress): Progress cruisers are also armed with anti-warship cannons similar to Zentraedi concealed laser cannons. Four (or six) of these lasers are mounted facing forward while two (or four) are mounted to the rear to attack enemies behind the ship. Like the main laser cannons the anti-warship cannons have only a limited arc of fire (15 degrees off centerline) and thus can only be used against ships to the front or rear of the cruiser.

  4. RETRACTABLE LASER TURRETS (14): As a final line of defense, the cruiser has retractable laser turrets mounted at various strategic places along the hull. These short-range lasers were apparently intended primarily for anti-aircraft and anti-mecha defense, but can do moderate damage against enemy spacecraft if they get too close. When not in use gun turrets are concealed within the hull underneath a sliding hatch.
       
  5. MEDIUM MISSILE LAUNCHERS (18): For anti-aircraft defense the cruisers are armed with medium-range missile launchers set at key locations along the ship's hull. Each launcher contains 6 missile tubes allowing volleys of up to 6 missiles to be fired at a single target per launcher. Once depleted, the missile launchers are reloaded by an automated loading system that takes 15 seconds (one melee round) to reload all 8 missiles. Armor-piercing smart missiles are usually used to avoid chances of friendly fighters being shot down by the missiles.

  6. HEAVY AUTO-CANNONS (10) (4 in Improved Progress): Several rapid-loading, liquid-cooled autocannons, similar to those of the HWR-00 Mk.II Monster,  can be used against both fighters and other ships, though they do need to switch loading mechanisms to load the proper shells. The cannons can be slaved to a single fire control system, providing devastating firepower through each blast, or separated to increase the rate of fire. Eight (or four) cannons are mounted facing forward, while the other 2 (or zero) face behind the ship.
     
  7. PINPOINT BARRIER DEFENSE SYSTEM: Originally developed by researchers onboard the SDF-01 Macross during Space War One, the Pinpoint Barrier System is a standard defense system on board all UN Spacy starships, including the Progress cruisers. The system generates three small disc-shaped force fields that can be positioned anywhere along the ship to deflect missiles, energy beams or projectiles. Each pinpoint barrier is about 200 ft (61 m) in length and can absorb up to 2,500 MD in damage, which then regenerates within four seconds (1 melee round). The barriers can also be layered on top of each other to generate a field which provides 10,000 MDC and can even deflect heavy particle beams (sometimes).

    The three barriers are controlled by operators in the command tower of the cruiser. These operators are instructed to defend (1) the command tower, bridge, and sensor array, (2) main engines, (3) hangar bays, and (4) weapon systems, in that order. The operators primarily concentrate on defending the ship against larger spacecraft and leave defense against mecha attacking the cruiser to the VF pilots. 

SYSTEMS OF NOTE:

 

MECHA COMPLEMENT (STANDARD):

NOTE: The Progress cruisers have enough room to hold an additional squadron (12 fighters) if necessary, though the landing bays would be extremely cramped at that point.

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